Garment with protective flap

ABSTRACT

A garment for a person may include a protective flap extending from the back side of the garment. When the protective flap is folded and the free end of the flap attached to the body of the garment, a protective pocket is formed into which the wearer&#39;s lower extremities may be inserted for warmth, support, or impact protection. The protective flap may be stowed by attachment of the flap&#39;s free end to the interior of the garment, thereby enabling the person&#39;s feet and legs to extend unencumbered from the bottom of the garment. In another example of a garment, the protective flap extends from a front side of the garment. The protective flap may optionally include at least one accessory pocket, and the garment may include retaining straps for holding an accessory against the garment.

CROSS REFERENCE

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application61/495,288 filed Jun. 9, 2011 and incorporated herein by reference inits entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the invention relate generally to a garment for a personand more particularly to a sleeved garment with a foldable flap forprotecting a person's lower torso, feet, and legs.

BACKGROUND

Garments made by fitting sleeves to blankets or sleeping bags are usedfor keeping infants warm and comfortable. Similar garments have alsobeen used by adults engaged in sedentary activities such as reading orviewing television. While such a garment may be comfortable andconvenient while the wearer is seated or reclining, the garment maysurround the wearer's feet and legs and may interfere with walking orstanding. A person may therefore prefer, for reasons of safety orunencumbered motion, to remove a sleeved blanket or similar garmentbefore rising from a seated or reclining position.

Sleeved blankets and similar garments may be too casual in style forsome people to feel comfortable wearing the garments in public. Sleevedblankets or sleeved sleep sacks for young children may be difficult toput on to a child and may need to be completely removed to enable achild's diaper to be changed or to position safety belts or other safetyequipment around a child riding in a car or stroller. Amovement-impaired adult seated in a wheelchair and wearing a sanitarygarment may experience similar difficulties with sleeved blankets andsimilar garments. Furthermore, it may be difficult to find aconventional robe or coat that is long enough to cover the feet and legsof a seated person, but not too long to permit the person to stand upwithout tripping on the garment or stepping on the garment and damagingit.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the invention comprise a garment for a person. An exampleof an embodiment of the garment includes a front side having a bottomedge, a back side joined to the front side, and a protective flapextending from the back side, wherein the protective flap extends belowthe bottom edge of the front side when the protective flap is unfolded,the protective flap forms a protective pocket for covering the person'sfeet when the protective flap is folded upwards and removably attachedto the back side, and the protective flap may be stowed inside thegarment by attachment to the back side of the garment, thereby enablingthe person's feet and legs to extend from the bottom edge of thegarment. The front side of the garment may optionally include a leftside flap and a right side flap, with the left side flap and the rightside flap separable from one another. The protective flap may optionallyinclude at least one accessory pocket.

Another example of an embodiment of the invention comprising a garmentfor a person includes a front side having a bottom edge, a back sidejoined to the front side, and a protective flap extending from the frontside, wherein the protective flap extends below the bottom edge of theback side when the protective flap is unfolded, the protective flapforms a protective pocket for covering the person's feet when theprotective pocket is folded upwards and removably attached to the frontside, and the protective flap may be stowed inside the garment byattachment to the front side of the garment, thereby enabling theperson's feet and legs to extend from the bottom edge of the garment.The garment embodiment of the invention may optionally further include aleft side back flap and a right side back flap, the left side flap andright side flap being separable from one another. The protective pocketformed by folding the protective flap may optionally be open along a topside, a left side, and a right side of the protective pocket. Retainingstraps attached to the back side of the garment may optionally beprovided for holding an optional accessory against the garment.Retaining straps may optionally be attached to the protective flap onthe garment. The garment may optionally include a drop flap attached tothe back side. The drop flap may be lowered for the sanitary convenienceof the person wearing the garment and raised to re-close the garment. Anoptional front flap may be provided for the sanitary convenience of aperson wearing the garment, especially a male person. A garmentembodiment of the invention may further optionally include a pair ofshorts attached to the interior of the garment, for example the interiorback side of the garment.

This section summarizes some features of the present invention. Theseand other features, aspects, and advantages of the embodiments of theinvention will become better understood with regard to the followingdescription and upon reference to the following drawings, wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of an example of an embodiment of the inventioncomprising a child's robe;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the garment of FIG. 1, showing the left andright front flaps of the garment separated from one another to reveal anunfolded protective flap extending downward on the back of the garment;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the garment example of FIGS. 1-2, showing theleft and right sides of the front of the garment partially separatedfrom one another and the protective flap folded along an approximatelyhorizontal fold line at the bottom of the garment to create a pocket forprotecting the feet and legs of a person;

FIG. 4 is a front view of an alternative embodiment of the inventionrepresenting an example of a child's coat in which pockets are formed onthe outer rear surface of a protective flap so that the pockets areaccessible on the front of the garment when the protective flap isfolded up toward the top of the garment to form a pocket for coveringthe wearer's feet and legs;

FIG. 5 is a front view of an example of a garment for a person who maybe seated for long periods of time, for example a person who uses awheelchair, with the fold for the protective flap for the wearer's feetand legs folded up in the back (flap not visible in this view), and isfurther representative of an example of a dress in accord with anembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a rear view of the garment example of FIG. 6, showing flaps onthe left and right sides of the back of the garment partially separatedfrom one another, revealing a garment body fitted with straps forretaining a cushion, heating pad, or massage pad, and the unfoldedprotective flap extending from the front side of the garment body;

FIG. 7 is a front view of a person wearing another example embodiment ofthe invention in which the front left and right sides of the garment maybe opened, with the protective flap (not visible in this view) foldedinto and attached to the inner back surface of the garment so that theperson's legs may extend unencumbered from the bottom of the garment;and

FIG. 8 is a rear view of the garment example of FIG. 8, showing a largeopening on the back side of the garment revealed by partially unfoldinga left back flap and a right back flap, and the protective flap for thewearer's feet and legs stowed against the back of the garment so agarment wearer may walk without stepping on the flap, and furtherillustrating an optional pair of shorts attached to the inside of thegarment.

DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the invention comprise a garment having a foldableprotective flap for covering the feet and legs of a person wearing thegarment. In some embodiments of a garment, the protective flap is formedas an extension of the back side of a garment such as a shirt, dress,robe, or jacket. The protective flap may be folded by attaching thebottom end of the extended flap, also referred to as the free end of theflap, to a back surface of the garment with removable fasteners or ties,thereby forming a pocket along the lower portion of the garment. Thefeet and legs of the wearer may then be inserted into the pocket,thereby covering the front and back sides of the wearer's lowerextremities. Alternately, the protective flap may extend from the frontside of a garment and, after folding the bottom of the flap toward thetop of the garment to form a pocket, detachably connect to the back sideof the garment.

The free end of the protective flap may be easily and quickly detachedfrom the rest of the garment to open up the pocket formed by the flapand permit the wearer's feet to be uncovered and extend unencumberedfrom the bottom of the garment. The detached end of the flap may then berefolded and stowed by being re-attached to the interior of the garmentwithout having the wearer's feet and legs covered by the flap. Thewearer may then move about freely or fold the flap to its stowedposition to select a preferred degree of ventilation and thermalregulation without removing the garment.

The protective flap may include accessory pockets arranged for easyaccess when the flap is folded to form the pocket for the garmentwearer's feet and legs. The protective flap and other parts of thegarment may include a waterproof layer to prevent moisture frompenetrating the garment, for example moisture leaking from a sanitarygarment worn by a person using the garment. In some embodiments, thegarment includes means for holding a cushion, massage device, heatingpad, or other devices related to a person's medical therapy or comfort.For example, such devices may be used with the garment to providemedical treatment to a person suffering from poor circulation or to keepan infant warm. Some embodiments of the invention include panels orflaps which may be opened and closed to provide for the comfort and careof a person confined to a wheelchair.

Directions referenced herein are defined with “up” or “top” toward awearer's head and “down” or “bottom” toward the wearer's feet. Forexample, the top of a garment embodiment refers to the highest part of aneckline. The bottom of a garment refers to an edge of the garmentclosest to the wearer's feet and may alternatively be defined by anapproximately horizontal fold line formed in a protective flap to make apocket for the wearer's feet and legs, or by the lowest extension of anunfolded flap. The wearer's feet are considered to be “covered” hereinwhen inserted into the pocket formed by folding the protective flap, and“uncovered” when the feet are outside the pocket and not restricted inmotion by the protective flap or pocket.

Turning now to the figures, FIG. 1 shows a front view of an example of agarment in accord with an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 1illustrates a child's dress or robe having sleeves 108, an optional hood110, a front left side 102, and a front right side 104. Alternatively,the hood 110 may be replaced with a peakcap or bonnet removably attachedto the garment 100. Sleeves may optionally be provided with drawstrings,snaps, or other fasteners to close the ends of the sleeves closest tothe wearer's hands. The front left side 102 and front right side 104 mayoptionally be held together by fasteners 112. Fasteners suitable for usewith embodiments of the invention include, but are not limited to,snaps, buttons, ties, complementary pieces of hook-and-loop fastener,safety pins, clasps, magnetic catches, and zippers. Alternativeembodiments of the invention optionally include a different number offasteners, different types of fasteners, or different fastener positionsthan are shown in the examples of FIGS. 1-2.

In the example of FIG. 1, the front left side 102 and front right side104 are shown joined together. In the example of FIG. 2, the front leftside 102 and front right side 104 are separated from one another,revealing an interior surface 116 of the back 106 of the example of agarment 100. The interior back surface 116 of the garment may be madefrom a soft material such as a natural or synthetic fabric and mayoptionally include a waterproof layer made from a flexible polymermaterial.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a protective flap 118 attached at its top endto the back of the garment 100 and extending downward from the back ofthe garment 100, with a free end extending downward and away from thebottom hem of the bottom ends of the front left side 102 and front rightside 104 of the garment 100. Alternatively, the protective flap 118 maybe formed as an integral part of the back of the garment, or, as will beexplained later with reference to FIGS. 5-6, may in some embodiments ofthe invention extend downward from the front of a garment. FIG. 3 showsthe garment 100 of FIGS. 1-2 with the protective flap 118 folded up andattached with one or more fasteners 112 to make an open-sided protectivepocket 114 into which the wearer's feet and legs may be inserted. Theprotective flap 118 may be folded to make the pocket 114 before a personputs on the garment 100, with the wearer then inserting his or her legsinto the pocket after the pocket is formed. Alternately, the protectivepocket 114 may be formed around a person's feet and legs after theperson puts on the garment 100. A person wearing the garment mayoptionally choose to fold the protective flap 118 into the pocket 114and not place his or her feet and legs into the pocket 114, or may stowthe protective flap 118 out of the way by attaching its free end to theinterior of the garment, thereby permitting the wearer to walk withoutinterference from the flap 118.

The protective flap 118 may optionally include at least one accessorypocket 120 for holding convenience or care items for the person wearingthe garment 100. Accessory pockets 120 may alternatively be placed onthe inside of the protective flap 118, on the outside of the pocket 118,on both the inside and outside, or may be omitted. The garment may beclosed as shown in FIG. 1, opened from the waist down with the topclosed as in FIG. 2, or fully opened as in FIG. 3. Other garments mayoptionally be worn inside the garment 100.

Accessory pockets placed on the inside of the protective flap may beadvantageous for keeping objects in the pocket warm. Or, objects such ashot water bottles, heating pads, or ice packs may be placed in thepockets to warm or cool a person wearing the garment. The protectiveflap 118 may optionally be covered with a layer of waterproof materialand be made long enough to serve as a diaper changing pad for an infant.The garment 100 may optionally include appliqués, attachment points fortoys, sound-producing devices, and so on for calming and amusinginfants. A large button hole or slot (not illustrated) may optionally beformed in the back of the garment 100 to provide a convenient entrypoint in the garment for an automotive seat belt, covered with a wideband from side to side. The protective flap may include padding toprotect a wearer's legs from accidental impacts, for example to protectthe legs of a person seated in a wheelchair.

In the garment embodiment of FIGS. 1-3, the protective flap is coveredby the left and right front sides of the garment when the garment isclosed. FIG. 4 shows an example of an alternative embodiment of agarment 100 in which the protective flap 118 attaches to the outersurfaces of the front left side 102 and front right side 104, forming aninternal pocket 114 (not visible in FIG. 4) for the wearer's feet andlegs. In FIG. 4, the fold in the protective flap 118 made to form thepocket 114 is visible at the bottom end of the garment 100. The garment100 of FIG. 3 optionally includes two accessory pockets 120 formed onthe outside surface of the of the protective flap 118. When theprotective flap 118 is unfolded, the accessory pockets 120 areopen-end-down on the back side of the garment 100. When the protectiveflap 118 is folded as shown in FIG. 4, the accessory pockets areopen-end-up, with the open end of each pocket optionally covered by thefront left side 102 and front right side 104.

Another example of a garment in accord with an embodiment of theinvention is shown in FIGS. 5-6. FIG. 5 shows the front of a garment 100which omits the left and right side pieces (102, 104) of the garment ofFIG. 1-4. A front flap 122 may optionally be provided to cover a flyopening (not visible in FIG. 5) to provide for the wearer's sanitaryconvenience, for example male urination, without removing the garment100. The front flap 122 alternatively represents an accessory pocketattached to the front of the garment 100. The garment 100 of FIG. 5 isshown from the rear in FIG. 6. As shown in FIG. 6, the garment 100 mayoptionally be provided with a left side back flap 126 and a right sideback flap 124 which may be separated from one another to reveal theinterior back surface of the front side of the garment body 128. A rearclosure on a garment may be preferred by some persons, for example aperson using a wheelchair. The garment body 128 is provided with anextended front panel that folds up in the back to cover the wearer'slegs and feet, and drops down to enable a person wearing the garment 100to use a toilet or bedpan without removing the garment. Straps mayoptionally be attached to the front panel to hold accessories such as aheating pad, cushion, massage device, or other accessory. An optionaldrop flap 130 on the back side of the garment may optionally be providedfor the sanitary convenience of the garment's wearer. The garment 100 ofany of the figures herein may have formed on the back side of thegarment at least one slot 140 sized for admittance of an automotivesafety belt, as in the example of FIG. 6. FIG. 5 is furtherrepresentative of an alternative embodiment of the invention comprisinga dress in which the protective flap may be concealed by folding it intothe garment when the wearer desires have her feet and lower legsuncovered.

A person who remains in a seated position for an extended period of timemay benefit from the use of a cushion, heating pad, massage device, orother accessory for personal comfort, to improve blood circulation, toprovide ventilation, or for other reasons. The garment 100 of FIGS. 5-6may include means for holding an optional accessory 134. Examples ofmeans for holding an optional accessory include, but are not limited to,straps, snaps, strips of hook and loop fastener, buttons, and zippers.Examples of an optional accessory 134 include, but are not limited to, acushion, a heating pad, a massage device, a waterproof pad, a support orbrace for a limb, a lumbar pad, a spinal pad, a container for collectionof fluids, and an absorbent pad. Although the accessory 134 is shown inFIG. 6 in position for a person to sit on the accessory, the accessory134 and retaining straps 132 may alternatively be located so as to placethe accessory 134 in proximity to the wearers back, legs, or feet. Morethan one set of straps may optionally be provided to allow for thesimultaneous use of more than one accessory or to permit an accessory tobe easily repositioned. Retaining straps may optionally be attached tothe front side of the garment 100 for holding an optional accessory infront of the garment's wearer. Left and right side seams in the garment100 may optionally be formed with unjoined sections, for exampleopenings about six inches long, to provide for the entry of electricalwires connected to accessories attached to the garment. Such electricalwires may be used for controlling an accessory, providing electricalpower to an accessory, or for exchanging electrical signals between anaccessory and an external device.

FIG. 7 shows a front view of another garment 100 in accord with anembodiment of the invention. The garment 100 of FIG. 7 is shown from therear in FIG. 8. The protective flap 118 on the garment 100 is shown in araised or stowed position in FIG. 8 with the flap folded and the flap'sfree end attached to the back of the garment. The folded flap mayalternately be attached to the inside or the outside of the back of thegarment. When the protective flap 118 is stowed as shown in FIG. 8, aperson may move freely without the flap interfering with movements ofthe person's feet and legs.

A pair of trousers 136 or alternatively a pair of shorts 136 mayoptionally be attached to the inside of the garment 100. A large rightside back flap 124 and left side back flap 126 are shown in position fora person to put on the garment 100, for example while the person isseated in a wheelchair. After the garment 100 has been put on, the backflaps (124, 126) may be closed by attaching them to one another. Theback flaps (124, 126), protective flap 118, and other parts of thegarment 100 may be lined with a flexible waterproof polymer material toprevent moisture from leaking through the garment. Alternatively, theback side 106 of the garment 100, or a part of the backside, may be madefrom a waterproof material or from a fabric with a waterproof coating.

The garments in the examples of FIGS. 1-8 may be provided in manydifferent sizes and materials. For example, the garments 100 of FIGS.1-4 are suitable for an infant or toddler. The garments 100 of FIGS. 5-8may be preferred by a young adult or an adult. A closed length of any ofthe garments 100, that is, a length from the top of the shoulders to theposition of the fold in a folded protective flap, may optionally beselected to be somewhat greater than the height of a standing personfrom the floor to the person's shoulders. In some embodiments, thegarment is selected to have a length, with the protective flap folded orstowed, that places the bottom hem of the garment between a wearer'sknees and ankles. The length of the portion of the protective flap thatfolds up to make a pocket for the wearer's feet and legs adds to theclosed length of the garment. Garments in any of the previous examplesmay be resized to fit persons of almost any size or age. Garments mayoptionally be decorated with embroidery or appliqués. Pockets mayoptionally be made in the shape of an object such as an animal or toy.

Unless expressly stated otherwise herein, ordinary terms have theircorresponding ordinary meanings within the respective contexts of theirpresentations, and ordinary terms of art have their correspondingregular meanings.

1. A garment for a person, comprising: a front side comprising a bottomedge; a back side joined to said front side; and a protective flapextending from said back side, wherein said protective flap extendsbelow said bottom edge of said front side when said protective flap isunfolded, said protective flap forms a protective pocket into which theperson's feet may be inserted when said protective flap is foldedupwards and removably attached to said back side, and said protectiveflap may be stowed inside said garment by attachment to said back sideof said garment, thereby enabling the person's feet and legs to extendfrom said bottom edge of said garment, outside of said protectivepocket.
 2. The garment of claim 1, wherein said front side furthercomprises a left side flap and a right side flap, and said left sideflap and said right side flap are separable from one another.
 3. Thegarment of claim 1, wherein said protective flap further includes atleast one accessory pocket attached to said protective flap.
 4. Thegarment of claim 4, wherein said accessory pocket is positioned on saidprotective flap so that an open end of said accessory pocket is opentoward the top of the garment when the protective flap is folded to formsaid protective pocket.
 5. The garment of claim 1, wherein saidprotective pocket formed by folding said protective flap is open along atop side, a left side, and a right side of said protective pocket. 6.The garment of claim 1, further comprising retaining straps attached tosaid back side for holding an optional accessory against said garment.7. The garment of claim 1, further comprising a pair of shorts attachedto an interior surface of said garment.
 8. The garment of claim 1,further comprising a hood attached to said back side for covering thetop of the person's head.
 9. A garment for a person, comprising: a frontside comprising a bottom edge; a back side joined to said front side;and a protective flap extending from said front side, wherein saidprotective flap extends below said bottom edge of said back side whensaid protective flap is unfolded, said protective flap forms aprotective pocket for covering the person's feet when said protectivepocket is folded upwards and removably attached to said front side, andsaid protective flap may be stowed inside said garment by attachment tosaid front side of said garment, thereby enabling the person's feet andlegs to extend from said bottom edge of said garment, outside of saidprotective pocket.
 10. The garment of claim 9, wherein said back sidefurther comprises a left side back flap and a right side back flap, andsaid left side flap and said right side flap are separable from oneanother.
 11. The garment of claim 9, wherein said protective pocketformed by folding said protective flap is open along a top side, a leftside, and a right side of said protective pocket.
 12. The garment ofclaim 9, further comprising retaining straps attached to said back sidefor holding an optional accessory against said garment.
 13. The garmentof claim 9, further comprising a drop flap attached to said back side,wherein said drop flap may be opened for the sanitary convenience of theperson wearing said garment.
 14. The garment of claim 9, furthercomprising a front flap on said front side, wherein said front flap maybe opened for the sanitary convenience of the person wearing saidgarment.
 15. The garment of claim 9, further comprising a pair of shortsattached to the interior of said garment.
 16. The garment of claim 9,further comprising a pair of trousers attached to the interior of saidgarment.
 17. The garment of claim 9, further comprising a hood attachedto said back side for covering the top of the person's head.
 18. Thegarment of claim 9, wherein said back side is formed with an aperturesized for admittance of an automotive safety belt.